The present invention relates to a portable deer stand for use when hunting. More particularly, the present invention is a portable deer stand adapted to be mounted to a transport vehicle and transported to and from a hunting site. The deer stand includes a foldable ladder and adjustable legs to support the stand once it is raised from the transport position to the hunting position.
Commonly used by hunters, deer stands provide an elevated platform for hunters while waiting for a deer to pass the area surrounding the hunter. In most cases, these stands are located in remote areas to avoid noise and located in deer habitats. Oftentimes, these remote areas have rugged terrains, are wooded and are far removed from any road or trail; thus, it becomes difficult to transport and assemble the deer stand at the hunting location. Disassembled deer stands are generally transported for permanent assembly at the site where the hunter wishes hunt. Assembly at the site has several disadvantages as it can be time consuming and troublesome for those not having the proper equipment to assemble such structures. Furthermore, if the stand is permanently erected at the hunting area, continued exposure to weather conditions can cause rust or deterioration at a significantly increased rate. More importantly, when the stand is left unattended, it can be vandalized or stolen.
Portable deer stands have been devised so that the hunter can haul an assembled or nearly completed assembled deer stand to the hunting site for assembly and use within a matter of minutes. However, these devices still remain large and bulky and are difficult to transport into steep or rugged terrain or into densely wooded areas.
The present invention provides a portable and compact deer stand that can be transported safely by a transport vehicle into remote locations and erected in minimal time. By providing a compact structure, the stand can be transported to many areas previously unreachable with the prior bulky stands. Furthermore, compact configurations provide a safer alternative to prior stand designs when transporting through steep, rugged or densely wooded terrain.
The present invention provides a portable deer stand that can be transported to and from hunting locations using a transport vehicle. When fully assembled, an elevated hunting platform is supported by a ladder and at least two support legs. The device can be fully assembled within a short period of time and without using tools. During transport to and from the hunting location, the hunting platform is lowered, the ladder is folded and the support legs are mounted in a storage position so that the stand is compact for safe transportation.
When the hunter arrives at the desired location and is ready to erect the stand, the ladder is extended from a folded position to an extended position. The legs are removed from the storage position and are inserted into the leg guides where the legs are locked into position to prevent separation. After the legs and ladder are positioned, a cable is connected from a hand-operated winch to the ladder so that as the winch is turned, a sufficient force is exerted on the ladder to raise and rotate the portable deer stand from the transport position to the hunting position. Once the stand is in the hunting position, the legs and ladder can be adjusted in length to conform to uneven terrain allowing the hunter platform to remain parallel with respect to the horizon. The hunting device can remain attached to the transport vehicle to provide additional stabilization, or optionally, the hunting device can be separated so that the transport vehicle can be driven away.